New Funding for Aflatoxin Research

Kelly MarshallAg Group, NCGA

The Aflatoxin Mitigation Center for Excellence (AMCOE) has approved seven new research project for 2017. Projects will take place at Mississippi State University, Perdue University, Texas A&M, Louisiana State University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Georgia.

AMCOE is managed by the National Corn Growers Association, with a mission to investigate biological controls, aflatoxin resistance through transgenic and traditional breeding, best management practices during harvest, handling and storage and improved testing procedures.  Currently the organization is in it’s sixth year of research.

“Aflatoxin is a critical issue for corn growers who want to provide consumers with the best quality and safest product possible,” said Charles Ring AMCOE Committee Chairman of Sinton, Texas. “AMCOE is committed to making continued progress toward solving this problem and helping southern corn farmers remain profitable.”

Sonny Beck: Glancing Back at #ASTACSS

Kelly MarshallAg Group, ASTA, Audio

If you’re looking to learn from the best, it won’t get much better than this.  In this week’s mini series we’re bringing you the “Glancing Back and Moving Forward in a Rapidly Changing Industry” session from ASTA CSS, featuring Sonny Beck, founder of Beck’s Hybrids, Paul Schickler of DuPont Pioneer, and Jon Leafstedt with Kincannon and Reed.

To begin the panel, each of the presenters shared their glance at the past history of their companies. For Beck that generally began in 1964 when he came back to his father’s farm. At that time the company had five employees and was selling 3,000 bags of seed corn per year. By the time Sonny’s oldest child, Scott, came back to join the business he was the 11th employee and the business was ready for growth.  In the 1990’s Beck’s wrote a paper for Purdue University, looking at the future of small and medium seed companies. They saw consolidation as the future for many businesses.

“When many of us independent seed companies were looking around, we were looking a consolidation, which is a natural thing that occurs in capitalism. And so you just have to get ready for it, because that is what does occur.” Consolidation wasn’t in Beck’s plans, however. Instead they decided to grow the operation.

“Find out what you do best, and then do more of it,” Beck says. For Beck’s Hybrids, that meant focusing on testing.”We’re going to help farmer’s succeed. Perhaps biotech companies will want products tested in an open atmosphere.”

Listen to Sonny’s opening remarks, and stay tuned to hear from Schickler and Leafstedt. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/astacss-16-beck-opening.mp3″ text=”Sonny Beck at ASTA-CSS 2016″]

ASTA CSS 2016 Photo Album

Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by
Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by the American Seed Trade Association and Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by BASF Ag Products

Merry Christmas from ZimmComm

Jamie JohansenHoliday, ZimmComm

Merry Christmas from the AgWired family of publications and the entire ZimmComm New Media team. Have a glorious Christmas season and we’ll look forward to seeing you along the agriblogging highway throughout 2017.

USDA Invests in Conservation Partnerships

Kelly MarshallGovernment, USDA

The USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is investing $225 million in high-impact projects to improve water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability.  These 88 new projects bring the National Resources Conservation Service total investment to $825 million in 286 projects with more than 2,000 conservation partners investing their own $1.4 billion.

RCPP offers new opportunities for the NRCS, conservation partners and agricultural producers to work together to harness innovation, expand the conservation mission, and demonstrate the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation. The program is increasing investment in conservation from a diversity of partners, leading to cleaner and more abundant water, improved soil and air quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, and stronger rural economies.Read More

Precision Ag Bytes

Kelly MarshallPrecision Ag Bytes

  • The National Science Foundation has given a $1 million grant to Harvest CROO Robotics to assist with their mission of finding answers for agriculture labor using technology.  The first phase will grant $225,000 for research and development of a robotic strawberry picker.
  • West Central Distribution is announcing a new starter fertilizer SoyShot, a member of their chelating agent Levesol family.  SoyShot provides the same benefits as the original Levesol, while increasing the nutrient package for more effective crop fertility.
  • Precision Planting is hosting their first conference solely for precision agriculture for sugar beets. The half-day event will take place on January 20 in Fargo and will focus on presentations from leading agronomists, dealers, growers, and Precision Planting sugar beet experts.
  • American Soybean Association is welcoming Renee Munasifi as Regulatory Affairs Manager.  Munasifi spent the previous six years as Senior Policy Advisor for Congresswoman Noem of South Dakota, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senior Duty Whip.

TechAccel and Danforth Plant Science Center Partner

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, technology

Kansas City-based TechAccel and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis are working together to bring agriculture innovations to the marketplace.  A $250,000 grant from the Danforth Center will encourage projects expected to produce new assets– license-ready technology, processes or products, or new spin-off companies.

“This partnership with the Danforth Center is an important milestone for TechAccel and the agriculture ecosystem,” said Michael Helmstetter, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive of TechAccel. “Agriculture research can and will change the world, but only if it has the backing to move from concept to proof to product. We bring capital coupled with science advancement to support that push to the finish line—the commercial market.”

What 2016 ag news will have most impact on future?

Jamie JohansenZimmPoll

zp-nh1Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What’s on your Christmas list?”

I hope you all have your Christmas shopping done. I am soon heading out to tackle a few last minute items. Like many in my family, gifts cards seems to be a favorite item for Christmas lists. Our poll falls in line with that trend. Those are quite boring to buy, but oh so easy! I just can’t believe no one has farm equipment on there list this year.

Here are the poll results:

  • Electronics – 29%
  • Clothes – 21%
  • Farm equipment – 0%
  • Cash or gift cards – 36%
  • Other – 14%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, What 2016 ag news will have most impact on future?

As we begin to wrap up 2016, we began to reflect on some top news stories which have topped newsrooms, coffee shops and tractor cabs throughout the year. Let us know what 2016 ag news will have the largest impact on the future. Might it be the Presidential election, biofuels, GMOs or the farm economy?

First Wheat Yield Contest Winners in 20 Years

Cindy ZimmermanContest, wheat, yields

The winners of the first National Wheat Yield Contest in 20 years used new techniques, advanced seed varieties, and innovative production practices to produce an average of 135 bushels per acre.

The National Wheat Foundation recently announced the winners of the 2016 National Wheat Yield Contest, sponsored by Monsanto, BASF, John Deere, and Winfield, which drew nearly 170 entrants.

The National Wheat Yield Contest winners were split into two categories and two subcategories, of Winter Wheat (Dryland and Irrigated) and Spring Wheat (Dryland and Irrigated). The 14 national winners in these production categories had a yield average of 135 bushels per acre, far surpassing the county averages for the winning growers.

The top yield nationally for the Bin-Buster award came from Phillip Gross, a grower out of Warden, Wash., who grew irrigated hard red winter wheat variety Keldin from WestBred to a final yield of 192.85 bushels per acre, 216.15% above the county average.

Learn more from NWF about all of the top winners who will be recognized at the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, as guests of the National Wheat Foundation.

EPA Approves BASF Engenia

Cindy ZimmermanBASF, Weed control

basf-tn-cottonBASF announced this week that Engenia™ herbicide has received registration for use in the United States in dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton.

“Soybean and cotton growers now have a new tool at their disposal to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds,” said Neil Bentley, Director of Marketing, U.S. Crop, BASF. “Engenia herbicide is our most flexible and advanced dicamba for dicamba-tolerant crops. It’s a product that will help growers better manage weeds to get the most out of every acre.”

Engenia herbicide controls more than 200 broadleaf weeds, including glyphosate-resistant weeds, and will be available for use in the 2017 growing season. BASF has been preparing for registration of the unique product since 2012 when it was first revealed at Commodity Classic. BASF Technical Marketing Manager Chad Asmus gave us the most recent update last month at the NAFB Trade Talk. “Engenia herbicide is part of a complete weed management program that starts with a residual herbicide and utilizes multiple, effective sites of action to control even the toughest weeds,” Asmus says.

BASF continues to support growers through ongoing stewardship and education efforts, including on-target application and other technical support. Launched in 2012, the On Target Application Academy has provided stewardship training for more than 13,400 applicators across 31 states and an online version of OTAA will be made available by the end of this year.

Trimble Launches VerticalPoint RTK System

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, RTK, Trimble

The VerticalPoint RTK system is the first of its kind.  Recently launched by Trimble, the patent-pending system for grade control in agriculture offers a significantly enhanced vertical accuracy and stability of standard single-baseline RTK.  The new system has less downtime and fewer delays than previous systems and is currently available in the North America and Australia on the Trimble FmX integrated and TMX-2050 displays with the Trimble FieldLevel II system.

When vertical accuracy inconsistencies occur, agriculture contractors must wait to re-start leveling until the vertical signal is once again accurate, and in some instances even rework portions of the field that were incorrectly leveled before the vertical signal inconsistency was discovered. VerticalPoint RTK significantly reduces vertical design errors in leveling and land forming projects, which occur from inconsistent vertical GPS signals resulting from atmospheric interference. With VerticalPoint RTK, contractors can experience an approximate 25 percent increase in overall uptime. Currently the industry experiences about 75 percent uptime; however, with VerticalPoint RTK uptime can increase to approximately 95 percent. In addition, this increase in uptime occurs even in the most challenging environments and at any time of year.

“The vertical accuracy capabilities of VerticalPoint RTK allows the whole project—from bulk hauling to finish passes—to be more efficient. The more accurate bulk hauling is, the less work to be done while finishing,” said Jarrett Lawfield, owner of Lawfield Land Grading, a custom land leveling business. “From first thing in the morning until the evening or even to the next day, VerticalPoint RTK is consistent and repeats elevation, so it has virtually eliminated the times when we are unsure of the vertical GPS accuracy. It has helped us to be more timely and efficient in our work.”